Thumbs down to Note 7 refund package

PETALING JAYA, Oct 18 — Samsung device followers have voiced out against the refund package offered by the South Korean manufacturers to Malaysian consumers.

The package comes in the wake of a global recall announced for the Samsung Note 7 smartphone following numerous incidents of its lithium-ion battery either exploding or igniting.

A Malaysian user has reported what could be the first case of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 fire on Facebook on Sunday. Robson Ng said his Note 7 caught fire at 4am while he was driving home with his wife on a highway.

A Malay Mail survey on grouses relating to the phone revealed that a number of the 8,000 Note 7 users in the country were unhappy with the compensation scheme announced by Samsung Malaysia Electronics.

Checks showed the refund plan entails customers having to return their phones with the box, inclusive of a copy of their identity card and bank statement.

Garrick Lau, 30, an executive and first-time Samsung user, said he was forced to take a Samsung S7 Edge as a replacement “when users deserve better compensation”.

“I am disappointed with the available choices in the refund plan. I chose to buy the Note 7 because of the specifications but I am forced to change to a S7 Edge instead,” he said.

“I wish there was higher compensation like those given in the United States and South Korea. It seems the refund plan is just a cut-cost measure.”

The first recall was on Sept 29 after some units exploded in the US, China, Taiwan and South Korea. Purchasers were offered replacement units.

Civil servant Syed Abu Bakar Syed Ahmad, 33, who first used a Note 3 in 2014, said the refund plan was not worth the hassle.

“We are given a choice of either getting a full refund or change to the S7 Edge,” he said.

“The first time they recalled the phone was already troublesome. I am stressed out thinking of having to go through it for the second time.”

Special education teacher, Natalie Hew Weng Xin, 25, who had spent more than RM600 on mobile accessories, said she was unhappy the refund scheme only covered Samsung accessories.

“I have no problem returning the phone if I can get proper compensation. I am just upset they did not include accessories compensation. I have spent more than RM600 on accessories, which include a shock-proof phone case costing RM250,” she said.

Businessman Vincent Chui Tee Suan, 47, urged the company to offer a better replacement phone with a guaranteed flagship phone in the future.

He believed this would help Samsung retain loyal customers.

“They can offer a Galaxy Note 5 or even a mid-range phone to use for the moment, and no refund is required. Once their next flagship phone is released, either S8 or the Note replacement, we can swap the mid-range phone with the new flagship,” he said.

“This way, no refund is required and everyone stays as loyal customers.”

I can totally understand…

Personally, I am also not too happy about the whole thing, especially how the recall is handled in Malaysia.

But I’d be happy to just quickly sort this whole thing. It is such a hassle having to carry two phones everywhere I go — I don’t want to leave the Note 7 at home as I don’t want it burning down my house…